Dynamic fluidic manipulation in microfluidic chips with dead-end channels through spinning: the Spinochip technology for hematocrit measurement, white blood cell counting and plasma separation

Abstract

Centrifugation is crucial for size and density-based sample separation, but low-volume or delicate samples suffer from loss and impurity issues during repeated spins. We introduce the “Spinochip”, a novel microfluidic system utilizing centrifugal forces for efficient filling of dead-end microfluidic channels. The Spinochip enables versatile fluid manipulation with a single reservoir for both inlet and outlet functions. It expels compressed air, facilitating fluid flow, and offers programmable filling mechanisms based on the hydraulic resistance of microfluidic channels. Compatible with a basic centrifuge, it allows sequential filling, internal mixing, and collection in straight microfluidic channels by simply adjusting the spinning speed, eliminating the need for complex valving. We demonstrated the Spinochip's efficacy in blood testing, where it successfully separated blood components, such as plasma, buffy coat, and red blood cells, from a single drop using centrifugation alone. This system enabled simultaneous hematocrit (R2 >0.99) and total white blood cell (R2 >0.93) quantification within a single microfluidic channel without the need for staining or special reagents. Remarkably, the Spinochip can perform hematocrit measurements on as little as 100 nL of blood, potentially paving the way for less invasive blood analysis. This innovative approach unlocks new possibilities in microfluidics, providing precise fluidic control and centrifugation for sample volumes as small as a few nanoliters.

Graphical abstract: Dynamic fluidic manipulation in microfluidic chips with dead-end channels through spinning: the Spinochip technology for hematocrit measurement, white blood cell counting and plasma separation

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
19 Nov 2024
Accepted
13 Jan 2025
First published
15 Jan 2025
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Lab Chip, 2025, Advance Article

Dynamic fluidic manipulation in microfluidic chips with dead-end channels through spinning: the Spinochip technology for hematocrit measurement, white blood cell counting and plasma separation

C. Oksuz, C. Bicmen and H. C. Tekin, Lab Chip, 2025, Advance Article , DOI: 10.1039/D4LC00979G

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications, without requesting further permission from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given and it is not used for commercial purposes.

To request permission to reproduce material from this article in a commercial publication, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party commercial publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements